We are currently developing the documentation of statistics. At the moment, the content is not necessarily up-to-date in all respects.
Teachers and other staff: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Teachers and other staff
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
The statistics have been discontinued. The statistics on teachers describe teaching and other school staff according to the situation at the autumn cut-off point of time. The most important variables by which these data are produced are gender, age and education (qualification) of teachers, type of task (headmaster, class teacher, lecturer, part-time teacher, professor, etc.), type of employment relationship (permanent, fixed-term), and industry and municipality of workplace. Persons teaching part-time as a secondary activity, visiting lecturers or the like are not included in the data. In accordance with the Statistics Act, the personal data from which these statistics are compiled are confidential. As a rule, the statistics produced from them are public.
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Educational institution
An educational institution refers to an administrative unit with a principal or other head, which has teachers and other personnel in its service (role of employers), and which is liable to keep books and compile other documentation, in which students are registered, whose activities are regulated by a legal act or decree, which follows a national curriculum, and which is financed and controlled by a public authority. An educational institution does not refer to a school building or facility. A new educational institution is established, an educational institution is abolished or merged with another educational institution at the decision of the organiser of education (maintainer of the educational institution) or a public authority. Statistics Finland has assigned an individualised educational institution ID to each educational institution. Educational institutions are classified according to a classification of types of educational institutions.
Educational institution group
In the Standard Industrial Classification (TOL 2002) polytechnics are placed in the group of higher education. In the statistics on teachers groups of educational institutions have been formed where polytechnics are in a separate group. In the deduction different auxiliary variables had to be used for those polytechnics where by the education organiser's code both vocational and polytechnic education is arranged. For these deduction needs to be made only in cases where the data are in the same register.
Headmasters/ headmistresses
In the statistics on teachers occupational category 12291 Education managers and headmasters and headmistresses includes only headmasters and headmistresses (not school directors).
Other staff
Other staff at educational institutions refer to persons employed in other positions than teachers, such as special needs assistants, training secretaries, office staff, canteen staff and cleaners.
Teacher
In the municipal sector teachers are defined as those who follow the collective agreement for civil servants and employees in the educational sector. Teachers working for the State and the private sector were determined on the basis of their job title or occupational category.
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information:
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data.
Further information: The terms of use for statistical data
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (eur-lex.europa.eu) and the Finnish Data Protection Act (Finlex.fi) are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (Finlex.fi).
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection